TCB: A Time for Change

by Avatar Sprite

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Science Fiction, Human, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 4941

A conversion bureau opens up in Scotland. Like many things in Scotland, it doesn't exactly go like normal places do.

A conversion bureau opens up in Scotland. Like many things in Scotland, it doesn't exactly go like normal places do.

Published 2017-04-04 14:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-08-02 17:48:27 UTC

Chapter 1: Old and new Beginnings

The main construction seemed to have happened overnight.

The closed down medical center in the half-abandoned old town center had gone, replaced with the shiny front of a conversion bureau.
The door was closed, with the lock shining a standard WorldGoverment, baleful red, indicating that it wasn’t open yet, the infoscreen above stating proudly that the new Aberdeen conversion bureau will be open tomorrow, and that unfortunately due to scheduling issues, anyone due to go to the Edinburgh conversion bureau should still go there, rather then waiting for this one to open.
Faint sounds of construction could be heard from inside still, an unusual if not unheard of occurrence in this day and age; The bubble had changed that, as it did so many things. The over populated cities still remained on the edge of ruin, but here and there, new structures were made, old ones re-purposed, as the Earth geared up and prepared for one thing … Change.

John made a note of this, as he started home. The favela was not a comfortable place, or safe, or anywhere anyone would want to live really, but it was home. John had, through hard work in finding, and defending, gained a burned out old apartment which he lived in. It wasn’t much; but it was safe, not well known, and a lot more space then he used to have, and thanks to some jurry-rigging and the light outside, power, at night anyway.

“I’m home” He called out, chucking the bag of food from the market into the kitchen, “Vegetables for us, ready meals for me”.
Out of the other door, came a light beige pony, his leaf-green mane hanging in front of his eyes slightly. “Did you get any carrots John?“ He asked peering into the bags excitedly, prompting eye-rolls from his friend.

￼￼

“You know you used to hate those things, right?” John smiled “But yes, Light, I did get you the carrots.”
Light Winds jumped up at this, hugging against John softly but John stepped back embarrassed for a second, before letting the Pegasus pony do so.

“I know, but they are just SO good now! Seriously, spicy but sweet, like that food you managed to grab once off that old dude for fixing his ride.”

“Those crunchy meat-ball things? I still almost believe him when he said they were old style food.” John grinned, but then shook his head “But then I guess meat-balls are off the menu anyway, even if we could get a hold of them.”

Light just looked down with a light shudder at the thought, before nodding. “Sorry John” The newly herbivorous Light Winds replied. “They just smell of death ..”

“Don’t worry about it, we gotta eat what we gotta eat, right?” came the quick reassuring reply. John soon busied himself, putting the various foodstuff’s away in the kitchen.

“Janet was not at her stall today. Do you think she, you know, ‘went pony’?” John did air quotes as he sat down.

“Well, her daughter did get caught by those PER people” Light Winds replied distractedly.

“Terrorists you mean…” John corrected gently. “They may not be as bad as the HLF, but in some ways they are worse.”

“The Human Liberation Front are the terrorists, they kill ponies and people, The PER just … prematurely ponify them.”

“And what about the ones who dont want to be ponified, The so called Ponificaton for Earth’s Rebirth are just a cult that doesn't care about people’s rights.” John snorted.

“I wouldn’t go that far, at least they try their hardest not to get anyone killed,“ Light frowned “But still, your right, they are not exactly good either.“

John looked around in annoyance “Look at us, we cant go five minutes without arguing with each other now, God!” Getting back up from where he had just settled himself down as Light winced at the outburst “We cant play the new Call of Duty because it involves hurting people, we can’t watch movies, because suddenly action movies are too violent, even the music we like is gone”

Light watched John’s pacing worriedly. Moving to try and hug again, only to whimper slightly as he was pushed away roughly “John … I’m sorry.”

“I just , I want Jacob back, okay? Not Light, not Light Winds, I want my friend.” John went into his room, closing the door “

“But I am your friend” Light said to the door.

Another day another argument, John thought as he sat on his bed. Thats all they ever seem to have these days. Ever since Jacob, no, Light Winds ‘went pony’. Oh at first it was cool, here was his friend, so different, and able to fly. And while it was still, unmistakably still him, the differences were grating, massively so. John could still remember when they met for the first time, and thought, he would likely never know that Jacob again.

—
“What the fuck do you think you are doing? “ John heard as he was suddenly pushed away from the junction box. Looking up from a sprawled position, he glared.

“Trying to get some god-damned power, what do you think? “ John responded, as he immediately lunged for the attacker, knocking him over quickly. His assailant seemed startled, but quickly responded to the attack in kind.

After a few minutes of fighting, John was remaining on the ground, spent, the victor stood above him “Go on then, take it “ John spat, “I spent months waiting for the Blackwater to need that junction box, preparing the lock so I could keep it open”

The attacker looked baffled for a second "Take it? I was saving your life, you moron! Blackwater likes to switch fuses--the one you took out was for the other line. The one you were about to touch was still active!"

“Oh…” Was all John could say to that.
—
Needless to say, after Jacob had saved John’s life, and just got a fight in return, John had been very grateful, and upon finding out Jacob’s lack of accommodation, invited him to stay in his abandoned flat, forming the friendship that brought them to today.

“Why…” John mumbled as he slumped back onto his mattress, “Why was Equestria worth more then our friendship?”

“It isn’t” Light Winds said from the doorway. “But being dead in four years, would destroy it worse.”

“I know that, I just...” John trailed off

“Scared and confused, I know. And I am still your friend, at least, I still want to be” Light Winds flew the short distance to John and sat by him “I know I dont enjoy the same stuff anymore, but I still enjoy being with you, can’t that be enough?”

“Gay … “ John replied with a smile “More then you usually are too. But yeah, I just … It changed you so much you know? Will .. Will I be the same?”

“I don’t know John, I do know I really want you to be a pegasus too, going flying is way cooler then the sims, let me tell you .. Not that being a unicorn or earth pony wouldn't be fun too, dont get me wrong, I just ..”

John laughed and pulled the winged pony against him. “Thats another thing, there really is no way to choose which?”

“The Bureau said no, it’s totally random, apparently earth ponies are more common though, something about the ratio of ponies that exist in Equestria” Light Winds smile “I have a good feeling about you though!”

“You said that about the MicroSony stocks … And look at us now” John laughed

“I know, I know! So I was wrong, sue me! I couldn’t have known the end of the world was coming.” Light grinned up at John.

“The end of the world … That’s … that really is whats happening isn’t it?”

“Yeah John, and I kinda want you safe for it, why don’t you call Edinburgh, I am sure the waiting list has gone down.”

“I … I didn’t register there yet, I was scared “ John admitted softly. Light Wind, upon hearing this, slumped down onto the mattress some more. “I know, I know , The waiting list is likely years now “

“Years? John, only the rich get to go to the bureaus now , So little of them, so much time… if your not on the list, the best you can do is go to the bureau and get a on the day potion, no classes, no rest period, just poof, your a pony”

John slumped alongside Light Winds now “Christ, seriously? Thats just .. “.

Light Winds nodded “What they have to do.”

“The Aberdeen one will already be full I bet, too “ John sighed “Do you think I should go, just for the on the day thing?”

“Aberdeen one? John Aberdeen isn’t going to get one, something about only one per region, remember?”

“No, there is one opening tomorrow, I passed by it, it’s where the old medical center was” John looked more excited “Do you think maybe if you didn’t know, oh master of all pony on earth related knowledge , others may not either?”

“It’s worth a try, as you said, the worst they can do is say you need an on the day “ Light Winds smiled, the pegasus pony yawning gently. “Either way you have a big day tomorrow, meal then sleep on it?”

John nodded to that “Veggie cassarole? Or my best attempt at it anyway?”

Light Winds perked up slightly “Plenty of carrots?”

“All the carrots, though, lets save one for me to try after, shall we?”

The next morning John got up early to get going, leaving a note by Light Winds. Looking around, he tried to pull as much detail he could into memory.. His potentially last memories as a human, this was bound to be special to him someday, right? John chuckled to himself as he continued , passing faded vehicle stops until he finally gets to the doors of the bureau, bright and shiny, the lock now a bright, welcoming green. Swallowing John stood in front of the doors. “This is it” he thought to himself, looking at the silvered windows, the bright sign declaring they are now open.

John must have been stood there staring for a good ten minutes before a gentle cough came from behind him “Nervous?” a soft female voice laughed gently. Turning around John blinked seeing a green unicorn behind him.

￼

“It helps if people don’t sneak up on me. Well ponies too I suppose…“ John glared gently but shook his head. “I think anyone would be really … Anyway! I am John, nice to meet you!”

“Hisan Braytast,” she said softly adjusting her glasses, “The Administrator of this new bureau “. With that she moved in front of John her mane in a bun behind her “I take it you may be our first ahem, customer?”

“I .. Think so” he replied nervously, watching as the pony before him moved to open the door.

“You’re in luck, You’re just in time to see our first shipment of potion come in ” Hisan said brightly, with a warm smile to him, holding the door open “You going to spend all day staring or going to come inside?”

“I’m coming in , looks warmer inside there then out here anyway” John grinned sheepishly, moving in, and looking around. “No Blackwater? “ He asked curiously, remembering Light Wind’s tales about his time at a bureau.

“We can look after ourselves.” She grinned, an odd, almost smirk. “Seriously, we haven’t seen much need for them up here yet. Anyway, as our receptionist seems to be busy elsewhere, let me get you checked in.”

John blinked at that. “Checked in, I thought I needed to make an appointment? “ Smiling nervously “I kind of, didnt even know if I could get in, isnt everyone booked up for like, years in advanced now?”

“Yeah, but being new, and up here, everyone seems to have overlooked us” Hisan grinned “Poor advertising I think, so as I said, you are our first customer“

Hisan slipped behind the counter, and looked up at him “Full name please, and address “ Hisan’s horn glowed, depressing keys on a computer, the old fashioned keyboard handling magic better then a touch screen.

“John Setford, and I don’t really have an address, currently” John sighed “I am currently living over in an abandoned flat in Tilly area “

“Got it, N.I?”

As John rattled off his National Insurance number, the door opened behind him. “Delivery for the Aberdeen Conversion Bureau. “ Could be heard, turning around he saw a pair of ponies, carrying a sealed plastic case between them.

“Your in luck John, this is our potion delivery “ Hisan grinned “Want to see it before we get you settled into your room?”

“Sure, “ John mumbled, watching as Hisan gave the pair her id, and verified it. He followed her through the twisty thin corridors to the door marked Medical.

“Here we are, our medical office, this is where the conversion will happen. If you have any medical problems until then, please knock before entering, ok?”

“Ok “ John agreed, as the door was opened into a relatively small, rather old fashioned doctor’s office, in the corner stands a locked, alarmed case, which Hisan starts to open. Once it is open, she opens the case, and removes the flask, putting it into the case, quickly locking it.

“And there we have it, in about a week’s time, maybe less, that is what will help your transition into ponyhood. “ Hisan smiled. “Now lets get you to where you will be sleeping, at least whole your still human.” Hisan then quickly left the medical office, and deeper into the bureau, arriving at what looked to be a small dorm room. Levitating a small clipboard off the wall she grinned “You have your pick of every room so far, though we expect to fill up quick, you will have a roommate at some point, but for now, you have your own room.”

John, looking around, picks the door at the end of the corridor “Room 5 please “ he smiled, soon receiving the key from Hisan.

“I will let you get settled in, we may not have any classes today, until more people arrive. Lunch will be at 1, I will send someone to show you, and anyone else the way to the cafeteria.” Hisan made a note of John’s room on the clipboard, before putting it back and leaving him be.

“I guess this isn’t so bad “ John mumbled to himself throwing his backpack onto the bed and leaning back onto it , thinking of the days to come, and that viscous, green potion.

Author's Note

Well this is the start of my attempt at a Conversion bureau story! First attempt at a pony story too, so, wish me luck

Chapter 2: Curiouser and Curiouser

John was startled from his thoughts by a friendly tap tap on his door. “Hello there,“ A cheery male voice issued from behind the door, then paused. John could hear the rustling of paper. “John, was it? It’s time for lunch, and you’re in luck, our first food shipment came in, we have apples!” The voice ended on a happy, encouraging note. John softly shrugged, making his way to the door, opening it to reveal the pony belonging to the voice just as he was about to knock again. “The name’s Cinnamon Apple, and it’s nice to meet you!”.

John smiled at the sincerity in Cinnamon’s voice, one of the things he liked about ponies, was the honest desire they had to get along with people. “My name is John, yes, and food was mentioned?”. John smiles, thinking of all the times Jacob, no, Light Winds, had raved about how good the food was. “Oh! It's nice to meet you too.” John grinned slightly sheepishly at his late response.

“Mentioned, delivered, and waiting for you in the cafeteria!” Cinnamon grinned, tossing his green hair back slightly. “Best apples in Equestria too, straight from Sweet Apple Acres”. Cinnamon started to lead John through the maze of corridors. “I hope you're not claustrophobic by the way, there wasn’t much space in the office we were given, so we built downward.”

“What about all the pipelines, and wires, and stuff? I didn’t even know you could dig that much around here.“

“Oh don’t you worry about that, we have some experts in digging over, we Equestrians can do anything if we all work together!” Cinnamon grinned up to John “Now, the cafeteria is the main area where we hold our daily meetings, and where we plan to welcome new people to this Bureau.”

“You sound pretty together for a new place. Do you take seasoned people, err, ponies from elsewhere?” John asked, ducking under a pipe as they headed downwards, leaving the bland office-like environment and into what looked more like the inside of a submarine from old pre-HD movies. The gentle click-clack of hooves against metal fills the corridor for a short time until the pair reached a carpeted area.

“This Bureau is a bit of an experiment, so while we haven’t done this before, we have had the value of learning closely from ponies who have.” Cinnamon smiled. “They didn’t leave anything out of their reports.” Shortly, they came to a slightly more open space. “Welcome to the cafeteria! We all eat here together, there's no private staff canteen here!”

The cafeteria had a pretty standard layout, even for its small space, with tables dotted around, and a heated counter at one end of the room. The counter was split into two parts, one with a red-colored bunting on the cover above, one with green. “Looks rather cozy, “ John said, “I take it this won’t be a particularly big bureau?“

“Oh, not at first. We may grow, it depends on what happens really.” A nearby pegasus spoke up with a grin.

Cinnamon looked to the pony who talked and rolled his eyes gently “This loudmouth is Cheery Breeze. Cheery, say hello to John. He is our first customer”

“Nice to meet you! I hope you enjoy your stay here!” Cheery grinned as she spoke, the exclamation points practically audible at the end of her statements, “Your world is weird, but I want to get to know everypony, err, everyone here.”

“Nice to meet you too Cheery, but I believe food was mentioned somewhere around here?”

Cheery looked up at John and nodded. “It is most definitely on its way, yup. No doubt about that.”

Cinnamon rolled his eyes and shook his head to motion him on.

“Cheery is, well, Cheery, we think she was born too close to the pink one, or something,“ Cinnamon explained. “Not usually a bad thing, she has yet to get too much on anyone’s nerves.” He sat on one side of a table with a small bench, leaving the other side, with some full chairs, for John to pick from. “As she said though, food is on its way. So are all the other ponies, who I'm sure want to meet you”

“I look forward to both.” John looked around “I don’t suppose you know where Miss Braytast is? I wanted to ask her about a friend of mine.”

“Ooh, you want to refer someone?” Cinnamon asked eagerly. “Of course! Just tell them the address, and they can arrive at any time, or tell us theirs and we will get them the message. Many hands make light work and all that.”

“No,“ John said, sitting back a bit at the earth pony’s sudden energy “Light Winds, he is my roommate. I wanted to know if he could visit... if you tell him I said this I will deny it six ways to Sunday, but I miss the big lug already.”

“Oh, I am sure Hisan will get the message, I don’t know if she is going to be here at the introduction, some big thing going on apparently. However I'm not sure if it would be allowed, we are an experimental bureau and all. Having someone from outside would probably 'taint our results,' or some such unicorn nonsense.”

“Unicorn nonsense? I could just not speak about what we're doing if it helps keep this important experiment or whatever going.”

“You know, Unicorn nonsense? Fancy magic-using types with their big words meaning simple things to make it harder to understand?” Cinnamon nodded. “I can definitely ask for you.”

“Thanks, and I would usually call that egghead stuff.” John grinned. “Of course, Light Winds was the egghead who saved my life lots of times.”

“Sounds like a nice pony, after you're through this place, I'd love to meet him, I am sure he cares for you.” Cinnamon grinned, then looked around. “Seems the rest of the gang snuck up on us while talking.”

Looking around, John found a couple more ponies were hanging around. From a nearby table, an odd pair of earth ponies grinned at John. One stallion had a red coat and a green mane, the other had a green coat and light red hair. They each looked like a negative of the other. On a table nearby, a blue unicorn mare had her nose buried in a book. “Hello,“ John gave a light wave to the pair looking to him. “I’m John, what’s your name?”

“I’m Crimson Rock and this is…“ The red-furred one replied before getting interrupted by his apparent twin next to him.

“Emerald Charge! It’s great to meet you!” The green stallion finished off with a smile. “The egghead over there’s Aqua. Please excuse her lack of welcome, she’s always been lacking…“

“...In manners.“ Crimson finished, causing John to slightly roll his eyes as he looked to the pair.

“Do you two practice the whole twin act?” John complained with a light smile. “I mean, it’s better than the Jameson twins, all they managed to do when they tried that trick was talk over each other repeatedly.”

Slightly delayed, Aqua raised her head and just blearily looked at Emerald and Crimson. “You try staying up all night, then be expected to be at lunch, and see how social you feel. Anyway, new kid, I’m Aqua, I run the desk at night. Don’t make any trouble and we’ll get along. If you feel like making trouble, you'll find out why I’m the reason we don’t need any of those Blackwater idiots.”

“Not exactly a kid, thanks. And I don’t plan on any trouble, I just want to spend my time here, drink that green gunk, then go back to my friend.” John frowned, before turning away back to Cinnamon.

“Aqua’s a sweetheart really, she just is a bit sleep-deprived,“ Cinnamon immediately stated, looking around “Looks like we’re almost all here, so lunch will be starting soon. I hope you don’t mind, with it just being you right now, it will be a case of grabbing a plate and grabbing what you feel like from the kitchen. I recommend saving your apple for dessert though.”

A door near the cafeteria table alcove opened, and a pegasus trotted out. “Food’s ready, hope you lot like carrot-dogs and fish pie.”

“Thanks, Caramel.” Cinnamon turned to John. “That’s Caramel Wings if you want to eat anything other than oatmeal, stay on his good books.”

“Fish pie? Light gets sick at the smell of cooked fish now.“ John asked with some confusion.

Cinnamon looked to Caramel. “It’s an acquired taste, some pegasi eat it to help their feathers, and I guess we just got used to it. We should probably take it off the menu, now we have actual customers, you know? The peppers and mash Caramel use just make it too good to pass up for this last chance.“

John nodded, as he made his way over to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, a bunch of plates was on one side, and on the counter was a large batch of cooked carrots and bread rolls. Next to them was a ceramic dish full of some, admittedly good looking, fish pie. “You guys weren’t kidding when you said carrot-dogs were you?”

Collecting a plate, John grabbed a serving of fish pie, looking around, he soon spotted the small crate of apples near the door. Glossy and red, like something out of a picture book, they filled the crate. John even spotted one with a leaf still on it. “They’re not going to bite, you know?” Caramel spoke from the doorway. “Just grab one and make room for somepony else to get their food, you can admire it from a table just as easily.”

“I got it, I got it,” John smiled, grabbing one from the crate, and carrying it along with his food to a random empty table. Cinnamon soon took a seat by him, a similar plate transferred from a small tray on his back to the table.

“Since Hisan is busy I suppose there won’t be any meeting today,” Cinnamon said, starting on his fish pie. “So it looks like I will be the one giving you a schedule, I assume you know how the bureaus work and all that? Classes on how to be a pony, do pony things, et cetera.“ Cinnamon waited a second for a nod, before continuing anyway. “We may be experimental, but we still have most of that. Your schedule will have blocks set aside where you, and any other people who arrive, will have classes, stuff like which ponies have what kinds of magic, and what each can do. Basics on the government and economy and such, enough so that when you get to Equestria you know how to fit in.” Cinnamon finished his sentence with a slight grin. “Hopefully with how we do things, you'll know more than newfoals usually do.“

“So far that’s the same as what Light told me happened with him. What makes this bureau experimental, then? Is it just the surroundings?“ John asked curiously, taking another look around at the mix of hewed stone and metal making up the surroundings here.

“Oh, no. The classes are just what we were still required to do by your government to be licensed as a Bureau, Apparently, if something isn’t testable and taught in a classroom, they don’t believe you humans will learn it.“ Cinnamon rolled his eyes. “No, our experiment, if you want to call it that, is that apart from the classes, we all pitch in together, it won’t be just classes, if work needs doing, we all do it, from Hisan, right down to you and other potentials.”

“What sort of work do you mean? I hope you aren’t expecting much in skills,“ John asked worriedly. “I mean I was lucky to finish primary school, parents couldn’t afford secondary, so I never really got any vocational training in anything.”

“Oh don’t worry about it John, mostly it’s if something gets spilled, or stuff moved about. Provided you're not the type to burn water, Caramel may ask for your help if nearby when he is cooking. Basically, if work needs doing, whoever is nearby and is able to, is expected to help.“

“All part of the same team so to speak, “ John nodded. “You ponies do seem to like the whole togetherness thing.“ John looked away as a memory struck him, “When you aren’t pulling apart anyway.“ he continued bitterly.

“What do you mean John?“ Cinnamon asked worriedly, having already moved to sit by him. “What happened?”

John sighed and looked to the pony sat next to him. “Nothing, just remembering how things used to be with Light Winds. Ever since he quote, 'went pony,' end quote, things haven’t been the same. I know it's still him, just... I don’t know how to explain it.”

“That it’s still him, but without any edge?” Cinnamon asked, looking to John softly. “That’s a common problem with newfoals John. The switch from predator instincts to mostly herbivore ones seems to mess things about a bit. It’s one of the things we are hoping being included as part of the herd before the conversion will help with. It often takes a year or so for humans to get their edge back after going through conversion. At least, that's what records suggest. The hardware may have changed, but the software adapts.”

“Heh, you ponies certainly have adapted to our world well. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if the bubble was the other way around.“ John smiled. “I hope you’re right, either way soon it won’t matter as much, right?”

“Don’t worry about it, John. I won’t promise that you won’t change. I do promise that we will be here for you as you do, as will the rest of this bureau.“ Cinnamon smiled, giving John a short hug before moving back to finish eating his food. “We don’t have any classes yet, with it being just you, so how about after lunch I get to showing you some recordings of pony sports? Perhaps we can help you get the advantage over Light Winds in one or two areas for when you next meet, hmm?”

John simply smiled, finishing his food looking around at his surroundings. “I would like that.”

Author's Note

Well, this took a while to write. I plan on writing a bit more in the future and bringing out a new story also.